The Influence of Group Cultures on Moral Development

• In Event: Moral Development and Education: Gender, Culture, Moral Motivation, and Judgment

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the moral culture of public and religious private middle and high schools in comparison with the cultures of two other groups that are likely to have a moral influence on early adolescents – sports teams and religious groups. Using the Moral Culture Questionnaire, we assess the extent to which the cultures of different groups influence students’ understanding of their own responsibilities in difficult moral situations. Preliminary results from our study indicate that students in the public schools experience a stronger sense of community on their sports teams than in their classrooms. We also found significant moral cultural differences between public and religious schools and among religious schools themselves.

Authors

• Clark Power, University of Notre Dame

• Kathleen Roney, University of North Carolina - Wilmington

• Alesha Seroczynski, University of Notre Dame